July 20, 2012

Top Time Trialists Battle for Glory

Tour de France Stage 19 - Time Trial from Bonneval to Chartes

Top time trialists at the Tour (who's left of them anyway) will have one final chance at glory on Stage 19 from Bonneval to Chartes. The course is long at 53.5km or 33.22 miles and relatively flat. A win agains the clock while require a sustained, hour+ effort at functional threshold power.

With both Fabian Cancellera and Tony Martin out of the Tour and prepping for the London Olympics, Bradley Wiggins and Sky teammate Chris Froome are logical choices for the stage win. The duo finished one and two on the Stage 9 time trial 12 days ago. Given that many a commentator have been suggesting that Froome is the stronger of the two riders - at least in the mountains, Wiggins will want to stamp his authoriry on this time trial to prove that his is the best rider in the Tour and the rightful owner of the Yellow Jersey.

Among the other Tour de France 2012 contenders, Tejay van Garderen (4th on stage 9), Cadel Evans (6th on stage 9), Vincenzo Nibali (8th on stage 9), Denis Menchov (9th on stage 9) and Andreas Klöden (1oth on stage 9), will all want to put in a strong showing. Sylvan Chavanel finished 5th in Bescancon, and he may also surprise on this final race of truth.

July 19, 2012

Tour de France Stage 18 - Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde

The peloton is getting very close to Paris - only three stages to go! And Stage 18 is a long one at 222km or 137 miles, but it's not particularly difficult, in least in comparison to the last two days in the Pyrenees. The Tour de France 2012 contenders will have a chance to "spin their legs" and "recover a bit" in advance of Saturday's decision 54km time trial.

Stage 18 is clearly a stage for the opportunists. So long as there are no danger men in the break, the peloton will let them go for as many as 20 minutes by the end of the stage. Jens Voigt wants a stage, but it could as likely be some no-name from the depths of the general classification who wins.